Inside Milk
Heat and drought hit milk supply in Poland
The milk supply in Poland shows a break in the trend. In recent years, production figures have piled up record after record, but the upward trend…
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Milk production in April was still almost 3% ahead of 2018. However, milk supply for June is below last year's level. The supply in that month amounted to 1,027 million tons, which is a decrease of 0,5% compared to the same month in 2018. The last time production showed a decrease was in October 2016.
Extreme heat in June
The heat in June is the cause of the decline. That month temperatures rose well above 30 degrees Celsius. In addition, it has been extremely dry in Poland for some time. This has a major impact on production. The decline is remarkable when it is realized that the Polish dairy herd is one of the fastest growing in Europe. In 2018, the number of dairy cows grew by almost 3% to 2,2 million.
Poland was also hit by drought in 2018. The damage was then estimated at more than €800 million. That is why the Polish government recently decided to invest €234 million in irrigation projects. Farmers will also receive tax breaks and cash payments, among other things.